Subscribe to the NSDL Scout Reports
In last week's Scout Report, the Internet Scout Project announced a new series of reports, funded by the National Science Foundation. Part of the National Science Digital Library Project and published biweekly, these reports cover the best new and newly discovered resources in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. They will include resources for nearly everyone -- kids, researchers, life-long learners, and those teaching in K-12 and higher education. On January 25, 2002, the Report on Physical Sciences and the Report on Life Sciences will start biweekly publication, via email and the Internet Scout Project Web site. To learn more about the reports, click here. To subscribe to the email versions of these reports, visit the subscription page.
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Peru in The Eye of the Storm
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB64/
Peru has had a disturbing legacy of political violence and human rights violations. As a result, the National Security Archive has recently published forty-one declassified U.S. government documents, detailing human rights violations over the past 20 years in Peru. The documents record a progression of events through three Peruvian regimes (Presidents Fernando Belaunde, Alan Garcia, and Alberto Fujimori), highlighting key human rights abuses committed by government security forces and Peruvian insurgents. These documents have been declassified in response to the Freedom of Information Act requests filed by National Security Archive staff Lynda Davis and Tamara Feinstein. [MG]
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Historical Text Archive
http://historicaltextarchive.com/links.php
This history Web site offers articles, books, maps, and photographs on various subject categories, including genealogy, history, religion, rock-n-roll, wars, and women's studies. In addition, it provides information on individual countries and has over 5,000 related links in its database. The site also has hundreds of examples of history research papers and reports, spanning a myriad of categories. Viewers may search the papers database by either keyword or subject area. [MG]
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Two from Visual Resources Association
The International Organization of Image Media Professionals
http://vraweb.org/
VRA Core Categories: Version 3.0
http://www.vraweb.org/vracore3.htm
The Visual Resources Association (VRA) is a membership organization of visual image professionals. These librarians, curators, archivists, publishers, image vendors, art historians, and artists seek to improve the management and expand educational opportunities for all types of image information. They develop useful tools and provide best practice papers to assist less savvy users. One important example of this work is the VRA Core Categories, Version 3.0 metadata element set. This element set is based on the principles of Dublin Core (DC) and defines a common set of fields for the standard description of all visual resources. VRA website also provides mapping information to DC and MARC. The usefulness of these VRA resources makes one wish for more from this Web site. Access to VRA publications, like the Visual Resources Association Bulletin or papers from conferences, for example, would be terrific additions. However this is still a good starting point for anyone looking for help on copyright, fair use, image vendors, or management guidance. [DJS]
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Complaint Resolution in the Context of Welfare Reform: How W-2 Settles Disputes
http://www.mdrc.org/Reports2001/W2_ComplaintResolution/W2-ComplaintResolution.htm
Virtually rewriting how government assistance would be administered to those in need, Wisconsin's Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 has had a dramatic impact on all people previously eligible for federally administered Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). In particular, PRWORA and the subsequent Wisconsin Works, or W-2, program has mandated that no one receive benefits for no more than twenty four months and that, over the course of that period, vocational training is actively sought and put to use. Highly controversial and replacing a system more than sixty years old, both PRWORA and W-2 have met with a great deal of criticism and a number of legal challenges, many of which have been filed on behalf of those failing to meet the demands of a more stringent system of needs and compliance analyses. Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation's Report "Complaint Resolution in the Context of Welfare Reform: How W-2 Settles Disputes" thoroughly details the selection and appeals provisions of Wisconsin's radically revamped, welfare statutes. While challenging reading at times, the report does a magnificent job of outlining the steps put in place by the Wisconsin State Legislature to ensure that all potential recipients enjoy due process in their requests for government assistance. Additionally, for those attempting to assess the scope and efficacy of the W-2 program, the report also offers valuable historical perspective. [WH]
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Jefferson Digital Archive
http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/
As a joint project of the Electronic Text Center and the University of Virginia Library, this Web site offers extensive information on former US President Thomas Jefferson. The site includes an in-depth biography, electronic texts written by or sent to Jefferson, quotations from his writings, and comprehensive annotated bibliographies of writings about Jefferson, dating from 1826 to 1997. In addition, this site provides a comprehensive documentary edition of papers surrounding the construction of the Academical Village, Jefferson's nineteenth century "architectural masterpiece" at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. [MG]
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Crystal Palace
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/london/model/
The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia has recently released Models of the Crystal Palace, an extension of the "Monuments and Dust: The Culture of Victorian London" research project (last mentioned in the December 4, 1998 Scout Report). This amazing site contains luminous photos of the shape and design of the Crystal Palace and provides source materials on its history and construction. The graphics include both high and low detail VRML models, along with interior and exterior animations that give clear and illuminating depictions of the palace. In addition, the site contains a "Lighting Simulation" field that renders images and animations of the building's lighting, as it existed in 1851. This is definitely a site to explore for architects and those users awe-struck by 3-D graphic images. [MG]
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Center for Asian and African Literatures
http://www.soas.ac.uk/literatures/
As a joint project of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and the University College of London (UCL), the Arts and Humanities Research Board Centre for Asian and African Literatures aims to become "a world-class locus for comparative research on the literatures of Asia and Africa." The Centre is distinctive for having a structure that elicits interaction between scholars of both Asia and Africa. Started in October 2000, the Centre is currently housing eight research projects that will span a five year period. Each project will run for three years and includes four different workshops. Some of the projects include Translations and Translation Theories East and West,Genre Ideologies and Narrative Transformation, and Gender and Literature in Cross-Cultural Contexts. The site provides a comprehensive explanation of each project, including context, methodology, and scope. This is an excellent site for research training in the fields of Asian and African literatures. [MG]
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NGA Streaming Slideshow: The Adoration of the Magi [RealPlayer]
http://www.nga.gov/collection/adoration.htm#trans
This streaming audio/slide show is the latest creation from the National Gallery of Art (NGA). The presentation consists of an in-depth examination and explanation of The Adoration of the Magi, the colorful painting by Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi. The painting is from the early Italian Renaissance and represents the three kings bringing gifts to the Christ Child twelve days after his birth. The slide show is narrated by NGA director, Earl A. Powell, III, and also contains a text transcription. [MG]
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The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
http://www.ed.gov/nclb/
Signed into law just two weeks ago by President Bush, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLGA) sanctions changes that will impact virtually every American primary and secondary school student and educator. Posted on the Department of Education's official Web site, the NCLBA pages detail the Bush Administration's focus on renewed accountability in the nation's public school system. While many of the changes and guidelines have already been put in place in some states, this new act makes them the law of the land. Principally, the site reviews the four underlying principles that serve as spirit of the law: "stronger accountability for results, increased flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work." Aside from detailing the general provisions of the new law and its history, the site also allows users to link to a page outlining the changes to come in their home states, as well as to other Department of Education sites and reports. [WH]
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American Public Human Services Association [.pdf]
http://www.aphsa.org/
The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), a nonprofit, bipartisan organization, represents fifty state human services administrators, hundreds of local administrators, and thousands of human services professionals. Their mission is "to develop, promote, and implement public human services policies that improve the health and well-being of families, children, and adults." Their site offers not only valuable human services related information, like relevant links and policy resolutions, but also papers that discuss state perspectives, establish the background of specific policy issues, and present APHSA's policy stances. Particularly interesting, the report Crossroads: New Directions in Social Policy provides APHSA's policy recommendations to the President and Congress. Other downloadable papers include Report from the Child Welfare Workforce Survey: State and County Data and Findings and The Child Welfare Workforce Challenge: Results from a Preliminary Study. Even though nearly all information deals mostly with APHSA and their viewpoints, researchers and users interested in human services policy will find the site worthwhile. [TS]
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The Bill of Rights Institute
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/index.php
The Bill of Rights Institute is an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to helping high school history teachers enhance their students' understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens, as well as providing an awareness of the historical and intellectual origins of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Institute provides educational resources available for classroom use, including The Bill of Rights and You, a comprehensive curriculum that contains notes and videos. The Institute also conducts regional workshops, offering continuing education credits, and holds summer seminars featuring top educators and scholars. This year's summer seminar will be held at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia from July 8-13. Those interested may apply online. [MG]
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State Resource Center
http://www.lexisone.com/legalresearch/legalguide/states/states_resources_index.htm
The State Resource Center is one of the categories of LexisOne's free Legal Internet guide, a collection of 20,000 links organized into 32 categories, up from 24 categories in July, 2000 (last mentioned in the July 14, 2000 Scout Report). For each of the fifty states, the State Resource Center provides extensive lists of links to statewide offices, the state's legal branches, its counties, its rules of court, important legal forms, and more. The site remedies the maze of many state government Web sites, making it easier to find legal materials. For legal researchers, attorneys, and law librarians looking for state information, the site is a perfect place to start. The site will also be useful for other users who want to find information on state legal systems. [TS]
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FTC's Top 10 Consumer Fraud Complaints of 2001 [.pdf]
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/01/idtheft.htm
The Top 10 Consumer Fraud Complaints of 2001 report has recently been released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to the FTC, identity theft headed the top 10 consumer fraud complaints, accounting for forty-two percent of the 204,000 complaints entered into the FTC's Consumer Sentinel database last year. Howard Beales, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, stated that "consumers who report their complaints to the FTC are helping law enforcement find and stop rip-off artists." Therefore, if you have been a victim of an egregious consumer violation or misdeed, do no hesitate to call the FTC and report your complaint(s); the complaints in the Consumer Sentinel database are a valuable tool for state and federal consumer protection agencies that investigate and prosecute fraud. [MG]
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Human Rights Watch World Report 2002 [.pdf]
http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/
Human Rights Watch has just released its twelfth annual review of human rights practices around the globe in the 2002 Human Rights Watch World Report. This report addresses developments in sixty-six countries, covering the period from November 2000 through November 2001. Most of the chapters examine significant human rights developments in a particular country, the response of global actors (such as the European Union, Japan, the United States, the United Nations, and various regional organizations), and the freedom of local human rights defenders to conduct their work. Other chapters address important thematic concerns. [MG]
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Internet Resources for Children
http://www.ericit.org/weblinks/weblinks.shtml
ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology (ERIC/IT), hosted by the Information Institute at Syracuse University, has released a new publication on Internet resources for children. This site provides links to some of the best educational resources available online and describes over 50 high quality, (mostly) annotated Internet resources for children in grades K-8. Categories include art, current events, health, history, literature, math, science, and more. [MG]
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Mactopia: Internet Explorer
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/ie/ie_default.asp?navindex=s7
Microsoft has recently released a new version of Internet Explorer for Mac OS X. An upgrade from version 5.0, Internet Explorer 5.1 offers a package of features designed to optimize the performance of Apple's new OS. It is built around the new Tasman rendering engine, which supports open standards and should lead to faster page-loading times and a more accurate page appearance. In addition, it sports a new look with aqua color schemes and transparent contextual windows and features an enhanced Favorites-style Page Library that takes snapshots for future reference. Drag-and-drop support for text and pictures, Unicode support, and expanded toolbar options are also included. Best of all, you can receive it free on your Mac OS X v10.1 CD-ROM. [MG]
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LimeWire
http://www.limewire.com/
LimeWire, version 2.1.1, is a software package that enables individuals to search for and share computer files with anyone on the Internet. This software lets you log on to the Gnutella peer-to-peer network and contains a list of MP3's, digital home movies, documents, and other software. Furthermore, it allows you to chat with other LimeWire users. This latest version incorporates several performance improvements, including enhanced tools for handling downloads from slow servers and bad connections. LimeWire is written in Java and will run on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Sun, and other computing platforms. [MG]
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Enron Fiasco
Houston Chronicle's Hot Enron Topics
http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/special/01/enron/index.html
Enron Issues: The Committee on Energy and Commerce
http://energycommerce.house.gov/107/keywords/Enron.htm
Former Enron Exec Found Dead
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37789-2002Jan25.html
Enron's Hearing: A Familiar Ritual
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34950-2002Jan24.html
Enron's 2000 Annual Report [.pdf]
http://www.enron.com/corp/investors/annuals/2000/ar2000.pdf
List of Enron Creditors [.pdf]
http://www.enron.com/corp/pressroom/chapter11/pdfs/EnronCorpetalConsolidatedSpreadsheet.pdf
Arthur Andersen's Perspective
http://www.andersen.com/website.nsf/content/MediaCenterEnronResources!OpenDocument
Former Enron executive J. Clifford Baxter, who challenged the company's questionable financial practices and resigned last May, was found dead today in his car -- an apparent suicide from a gunshot to the head. Police uncovered a suicide note but have not released its contents. The Houston, Texas based Enron, an energy corporation, began its public demise in mid-October with the announcement of a $618 million third-quarter loss and a $1.2 billion reduction in the company's equity. The company, once No. 7 on Fortune Magazine's list of the top 500 largest corporations, rapidly descended into bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, the largest in US history. As a result, Enron and its accounting firm Arthur Andersen have been under federal investigation.
Articles covering the Enron fiasco span from October 2001 to the present. The first two sites provide various articles and news releases regarding the Enron controversy, published by the Houston Chronicle and the Committee on Energy and Commerce respectively. The third Web site article discusses the apparent suicide of the forty-three year old Baxter, and the fourth site discusses former Enron account executive David Duncan's refusal to testify before the subcommittee of the House of Energy and Commerce Committee during a recent hearing. The fifth item is Enron's 2000 Annual Report, a document that might shed light on how Enron wanted its shareholders to perceive them. The List of Enron Creditors, the sixth link, shows all companies to which Enron owes money. The final link comes from Arthur Andersen's Web site -- a collection of statements, letters, and peer reviews pertaining to Enron. [MG]
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From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2002. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
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